The last days of the Grands Jours. Thursday after ‘avoiding’ Mercurey, there was domaine visits in Volnay followed by an evening in Nuits St.Georges. Whilst Friday brought Vougeot, Gevrey and Marsannay. Marsannay is a Paulée to finish the week – I’m writing this before the Paulée! Interesting to see how many ‘punters’ took a chance today: 1,200 were registered for the Vosne tasting, but many more thought that they would try to get in – many, many were turned away at the door because the tiny ‘V’ was missing from their badges! We didn’t register for it – there is no joy in tasting with no elbow room…

We have one more visit in Gevrey on Saturday before heading back to Bern after 9 days in Burgundy. There will be plenty of typing next week, finishing-up my February ‘Beaujolais 2016’ report. Onwards!
 

(expensive) Joker Fish…

The red carpet…

007…

Tastes good!

It will be a few more weeks before the nest is occupied…

‘I don’t care what you’re tasting’

THE Clos

Tasting THE Clos

Château de Clos Vougeot

Musigny Vieilles-Vignes

It looks nicer in the sun…

Cearly, we are tasting Gevrey!

Beaune became white in 5 minutes- but only for 5 minutes…

Driving rain today, also driving to Mercurey and back from Beaune – total time ~1 hour – but no Côte Chalonnaise tasting I’m sorry to say. The only available parking was miles away, and in that rain I was not going to be in the correct state to taste. I don’t think my note-taking iPad would have survived either – and it certainly wouldn’t have fit under my hat!

A shame, I was looking forward to finding some new names. Still, my afternoon and evening will offer plenty of exercise for my iPad!

Just so you know that there is life here!

Over 100 wines per day are passing my lips, and to be honest, my teeth are complaining. The extra sensodyne helps a little but also exacerbates the structure of reds – whites seem immune – so long as I realise that, and can factor it in, all is well.

The weather was fabulous yesterday – the first day of 2018 I jogged in shorts and t-shirt – it won’t last long, a) as it is pouring with rain today, and b) because temperatures are set to plummet and freeze again at the weekend. Oh well!
 

Great name for a BJ!

Comté – yes please!

99% organic, the new DIAM…

Meursault in the Leproserie…

The best new chocolate in Beaune – but it’s over €140 for the big egg!

sun on the Bouzaise…

sun

Perfect light…

bottles…

Magnums…

Jeroboams!

Punition Collective – 150 people enjoying…

Most of Beaune decamped to Chablis today – sometimes with blue sky, other times with heavy rain and hail – just like in the Côte de Beaune yesterday.

Two years ago we enjoyed 26°C during this tasting- and the wines quickly became too warm. There was no worry about that today – temperatures were about 10°C. A big thumbs-up for the tasting glasses here – decent sized things from Schott-Zwiesel – I approved! Anyway I sought out a dozen names that I’ve never tasted or visited before, took lunch in Au Fils du Zinc and then tasted some Irancy. A good day. Tomorrow tastings in Santenay and Beaune!
 

Having, first, dispatched the first mosquito of the year, the forecast wasn’t great for the afternoon – but we still had sun in the middle of the day – So we decided to take a chance and go for a walk in St.Romain. We couldn’t have calculated it better – the first drops of rain started to fall just as we got back to the car. Onward to Hotel Montrachet for mid-afternoon coffee – always to a back-drop of blackened skies, flashes of lightening and the sound of thunder. Kindly the heavy rain and hail waited until we were on the inside, looking out.

I’ve seen heavier rain in the Côtes, but not for a long time – the roads quickly flooded and there were intermittent power-cuts – everything was reset back at the apartment in Beaune. I may not jog!
 

Home to Lady Gaga?

Now that’s a project!

The cliffs of St.Romain

A certain barrel-maker’s wood…

Now that looks organic – and with lots of empty spaces too!

Looking back to St.Romain form Auxey…

Looking back to St.Romain form Auxey…

Auxey-Duresses

 
It was getting chilly in Beaujolais this week – a few snowflakes but no rain – perfect for resetting the biological clocks of the vines – they had already been showing some signs of growth – so all good. Time now for a weekend in Beaune!

I might have posted a few more images this week, but with the ‘state’ of the wifi in my hotel, this post actually required 2 hours to engineer – so you may, or may not see anything more before Friday – let’s see how patient I can be!

Anyway, the light has been good this week, but each day it’s cooler and cooler. Today’s start with 0°C would be nothing if it weren’t for the cutting wind – but the forecast says than the region will get colder still, closer to -10°C by the middle of next week. I suppose my little red fingers might get to take a few properly frosted pics before I head to Beaune on Friday afternoon!
 

Tuesday…

Tuesday…

Tuesday…

Tuesday…

Tuesday…

Wednesday – looking down on MAV from Rochgrès

That’s what happens when you give ‘somebody’ half of the biscuit that came with your coffee!

They changed the ceiling!

Love – La Sambinerie in Romanèche-Thorins

That’s a visit for Friday!

Snow then rain, then slowly beginning to clear – just as I was departing!
 

Fleurie

Fleurie

Chénas